MIXED IN HOLLYWOOD
 

“People don’t know what I am...They say, ‘no, you’re not Asian, you’re Latin.’ No one can fit me in their boxes.”
 

One of the highlights of the festival was the panel discussion featuring actress Karyn Parsons (Fresh Prince of Bel Air), writer/producer Angela Nissel (Scrubs), model Jenny Rich and writer/director/producer Joseph Anaya whom shared their insights on what it’s like to be mixed in Hollywood.

Rich, who’s appeared in several commercials and independent films and is of mixed Filipino descent, admits that it’s very difficult for her in Hollywood. “People don’t know what I am,” she says. “They say, ‘no, you’re not Asian, you’re Latin.’ No one can fit me in their boxes.”

 The other panelists can relate. Parson, who is mixed (black and white), talks about her own struggles with being identified as a biracial actress. “When I first started out, there weren’t parts that were biracial,” she explains. “It was just Black and that’s it.” Parsons wishes people would also recognize her Caucasian side. “I would have talks with people who’ll tell me, ‘you’re black, you’re black’. People kept putting me in a category that’s very convenient for them.”

 So is there a place for biracial characters in Hollywood? Nissel, co-executive producer of the hit TV series “Scrubs” says that there is a sense of “as long as you see it but don’t talk about it” attitude when it comes to biracial characters. Although there are many biracial actors on television, often times their race, their “mixed-ness” isn’t mentioned.

 “I think it’s just laziness,” Anaya explains. “It’s easier to just say she’s black rather than have to explain her whole racial background.” Anaya points out that in most scripts, unless a race is specifically mentioned, it is automatically assumed that it’s a Caucasian part. Having an “ethnic” role already throws off a lot of people in Hollywood, he explains so imagine a script with a mixed character, with a part requiring someone to be half this and half that. “It’ll really make their heads spin,” he jokes.

The few roles that does have a biracial character, Nissel and Parsons points out, often plays on the “tragic mulatto” theme where the character is often “lost” or “suicidal,” in search of a place in the world. “People don’t realize that there’s another side to it besides sadness,” Nissel explains. “It doesn’t appear like they’re ready to view  biracial people as multifaceted people.”

 “Hollywood is a business,” Anaya points out. “It’s all about money making.” Often times, Hollywood is catering to the taste of “middle America”,which doesn’t have much diversity to begin with. He says that if people went out and supported films with biracial roles then maybe they’ll be more of a push for biracial characters in Tinseltown. In the meantime, he says, “It’s up to us to keep pushing for more scripts and roles with biracial characters.”